In the golf industry, access to a motorized Golf Cart vehicle provides access to the entire golf course and its related facilities. Since most golf courses do not have a person checking each golfer to verify that they have a valid receipt of payment, it is a simple matter to obtain a golf cart without paying and to play a round of golf. For those golf courses that do employ a part-time or full-time xe2x80x9cstarterxe2x80x9d for this primary purpose, this invention would eliminate the labor expense involved in this manual verification.
The open nature of a golf course makes it simple to bypass its pay for use policy. On most golf courses, one only needs a key to a golf cart to ride and play for free. There are several ways that golf carts are accessed without paying:
1. golf carts ready for use are commonly staged with keys and ready to go.
2. returned golf carts are left for some time with keys.
3. cashiers may provide keys to people they know.
Specifically, this invention will help prevent the loss of revenues caused by non-paying users of a golf course by utilizing an electronic system that prevents the operation of a golf cart unless it has been paid for.
The components of the invention include:
1. a reusable iButton for each golf cart driver packaged in a cylinder that contains the required activation information for the Golf Cart Controller. The iButton acts as a portable electronic messenger that carries with it the length of time that the vehicle may be used.
2. a Golf Cart Controller in each Golf Cart that reads and disables the iButton when inserted into its slot. The Golf Cart Controller activates a power relay for the time period specified in the Button enabling the cart to function and provides visual feedback through a Visual Display panel.
3. a Power Relay that is engaged by the Golf Cart Controller. The Power Relay, when engaged, will create a connection between the golf cart battery and the ignition system.
4. an Activation Software Program that will activate an iButton with the proper time value only when the sale transaction is completed at the Point of Sale System.
The invention is directed to a control system for controlling the operational time of rental vehicles which includes an activating unit which is reprogrammable. Also, a receptacle is provided within the vehicle for receiving the activating unit and accessing the program therefrom.
The controller is operative to determine whether the accessed program is in the Administrative Mode or the User Mode. The User Mode is designed for use with renters and basically activates the power system of the vehicle for vehicle use of a designated number of hours. The User Mode also activates a visual screen which among other things indicates the amount of operational time remaining and the number of renters. The controllers, upon determining the operational mode is User, erases the setting of the activating unit.
The Administrative Mode is programmed in the activating unit for use by maintenance personnel and for special occasions which require simultaneous operation of a plurality of vehicles. Activation timers may vary between a few minutes and several hours. The program contained in the activating unit is not erased when the controller is in the Administrative Mode. This gives a single activating unit the ability to activate an unlimited number of vehicles without being re-programmed.
Preferably the activating unit is an iButton.
An activation system is provided to program the settings in the activating unit. The activation system is manually controlled between the User Mode program and the Administrative Mode program. The activation system also is controlled to program the number of hours and the number of renters into the activating unit.
The invention has as its primary object the control of use of rental vehicles.
Another object of the invention is to ensure the authorized use of rental vehicles.
Another object of the invention is to provide a record of use time and users of the rental vehicle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system which assures collection of appropriate revenue for the use of rental vehicles.